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Books to read if you're planning a vacation in "Eagle", sorted by average review score:

The Eagle & the Monk: Seven Principles of Successful Change
Published in Hardcover by Hastings House Pub (January, 1998)
Authors: William A. Jenkins, Richard W. Oliver, and Richard W. Cliver
Average review score:

A Business Book for the Business of Life...
"The Eagle & the Monk" reaches out to the reader, laying aside the traditionally bland garb of the "business book" in favor of a story, and, in the process, hands the reader the most honest tools for dealing with change. The book presents 7 Principles that force us to refocus our attention from the cause and effect EVENTS of change to the HUMAN BEINGS involved in change. It is the human beings who place trust in one another and value each others' worth, who form the teams and create synergy, thereby creating successful change. This book makes its point through two characters whose situations must, in some way, reflect situations in which we have all found ourselves. The symbolism is direct, and the stories of the characters touching and inspiring enough to force even the most stiff executive to rethink his or her concept of how change is effective. We need more books that encourage us to positively interact with one another to produce such successes.

"It could become a classic!"
As a rabbi, I seldom read books about business. The fable format of E & M, however, was so compelling that I could not put it down. Change is a part of all of our lives. The authors make a convincing case for the need to embrace rather than resist it. They then show us how to do so effectively. The teachings of this book apply not only to business but to all aspects of life and relationships. The EAGLE & THE MONK could become a classic! I plan to use it for staff and Board retreats at my synagogue. Stephen Fuchs, Congregation Beth Israel West Hartford, CT

The book goes to the heart of the matter of change.
Books about change often overlook the inward look that must occur to make change happen. "The Eagle and the Monk" goes to the heart of the matter by addressing basic human needs - self-worth, accepting the worth of others, trust, etc. I can't think of any positive changes that have happened in my personal or professional life that wasn't preceeded by trust. This is a book I'll pick up again and again -- and will pass on to my co-workers, friends and family. Donna Culver


Seven Roads to Hell: A Screaming Eagle at Bastogne
Published in Hardcover by Presidio Pr (May, 1999)
Author: Donald R. Burgett
Average review score:

A paratrooper's tale
As a former paratrooper, and having several uncles and older cousins who served in airborne units in World War II, I can only say that Mr. Burgett captures the essentials of airborne combat in WWII. One of my uncles had great difficulty reading this book. "It brought back too many memories". Mr. Burgett's earlier book, "Currahee", brought the reader to England prior to the NOrmandy invasion, and then to Normandy with all the confusion, savage combat and gallows humor found in line outfits. This volume continues in that line, and complements greatly works like "A Time For Trumpets" and Toland's "Battle". The book offers no political insights, second guessing of commanders. It offers the insight and observations of a young American GI fighting far away from home, watching friends die, and wondering who was next. A fine job!

amazing amount of detail about the battle for Bastogne
This is one of the BEST 1st person accounts of the European theater of WW2 i've ever read. Don provides such detail that the reader is easily drawn in and absorbed in the moment. (How did he remember it all?). Most interesting are his thoughts about personal encounters with the enemy after his various skirmishes. I can almost feel the cold as i read about the GIs' lack of warm clothing, sleep, and food. It's a wonder anyone came out of that alive. Can't recommend this book highly enough.

One of the best books on the Battle of the Buldge Around.
By far one of the best books written on the Battle of the Buldge and the seige at Bastogne. Burgett gives excellent eyewitness testimony to the horror and slaughter that was the Battle of the Buldge. The reader sees the battle through the eyes that faught it. Burgett brilliantly takes the reader into the heat of the battle and makes the reader understand what it was like to be in the 101st Airborne during World Wae II. I could not put this book down until it was finished and it made me want to read as much as i could about the Battle of the Buldge.Donald Burgett is truly an American Hero. I highly recommend this book to everyone young and old.


Eagle and the Raven
Published in Hardcover by Doubleday (November, 1978)
Author: Pauline Gedge
Average review score:

None compares
My mother lives in NJ and I live in CA...the only reason we visit each other is to steal the book back. I read this book every two yrs. The romance, the history lessons, the courage and the honor that the characters give us in their daily lives is breath-taking. The true spirit of the Celts and their fight for freedom from the oppression and betrayals of the Romans and their own countrymen is beautifully depicted. The descriptions of the times and places and the various tribes fires the imagination to travel to these areas and see the lands that were so precious. The historical facts are so well researched. These stories are not ususally taught in school, but cause me to want more and more of her writings. I recommend this book and all her others to anyone who enjoys history, romance and beautiful writing.

Unforgetable!!!!!!
I first read this beautiful nove about twenty years ago and even though the book was sadly lost in a move I have never forgotten it.What can devoted readers do to get a book back in print?I have coombed used book stores looking for a copy to no avail. Ms. Gedge has created a world that is so realistic that I have never found its' equal and I have read so many books about the Celts.In fact this book started a lifelong fascination with their history.I've read other books about Boudicca and they can't compare. i have searched for anything about Caradoc with no luck.Now there's a hero for you!I can see him with his charioteer Cinnimus Iron Hand, dashing out of the hills to strike at the Roman invaders.This book has such scope and beautiful characterizations.These people are so real to me I wish I could go back in time and help them in their fight for freedom.Please Pauline get this republished, it is your best book ever!Read it people-(...)

searching for 20 years
I read this book about twenty years ago and lost my copy in a move. I've been waiting to find another copy ever since. This book began my lifelong obcession with the Celts. I can't see how such a rich and beautiful work can be allowerd to go out of print.In my opinion this is one of the finest historical novels ever written. Come on, Pauline get it republished! If you want a big book that will really take you back to another time,this is it.This book has characters I would love to meet.Caradoc and his charioteer Cinimus Iron Hand, Boudicca and Gladys the warrior princesses are so real.Mel Gibson, your next Oscar-winning Braveheart is here. This awesome book has everything for a great epic, action, treachery, passion and fighting for freedom.What more do you want? I"m still hoping that someday I will find a copy to buy. A glorious read!


From Russia With Love (Eagle Large Print)
Published in Hardcover by Chivers North Amer (June, 1992)
Author: Ian Fleming
Average review score:

A Great Cold War Thriller
By far the most realistic of the Bond books. Fleming's description of the MGB (later KGB) headquarters in Moscow's Dzherzinsky Square, where the plot to lure British agent James Bond to his death is first revealed, is reputedly based on information to which he was privy in his capacity as a WWII officer in British Naval Intelligence -- likewise the recruitment and training of the psychopathic killer Red Grant, one of the most formidable of Bond's enemies (and the only one in the films who looked for a while about to kill Bond for sure! 007 meets his match in Grant!) This is the book behind what in my opinion is the best of the Bond movies, steeped in the atmosphere of the Cold War into which the Bond series was born. 007 travels to Istanbul in pursuit of the bait, a Lektor decoder which can read top secret Soviet military and intelligence signal traffic. Another form of bait is the beautiful Tatiana Romanova, an MGB cipher clerk allegedly in love with Bond, willing to defect with the Lektor if only 007 will come and fetch her. (Fleming takes yet another jab at the Reds by choosing this name for Bond's love interest -- Romanov was the family name of the last Czar of old imperial Russia, the family doomed to extinction by the Russian revolution.) Kerim Bey adds a bit of panache, mischief and mystery as "Our man in Istanbul," Head of Station T (for Turkey). A truly great and suspenseful plot!

Bond and Fleming at their best
Fleming seemed to have used his first four novels (Casino Royale, Live and Let Die, Moonraker, and Diamonds are Forever) to warm us up to the Bond character and used the same plot style for the first four novels. In From Russia, With Love, Fleming takes Bond and his writing style to a higher, more intellectual level. Fleming is masterful in setting the scenes without being too boring. Bond doesn't appear until the second part of the book (Part II-The Plan) and you hardly even notice. Another interesting note is that of the James Bond movies, From Russia, With Love the movie follows the novel pretty well, even in lesser scenes such as the gypsy fight. This, perhaps, is due to the fact that Fleming was alive only for the filming and release of Dr. No and From Russia, With Love. This book is clearly Fleming at the top of his game and an outstanding entry to the series.

SMERSH battles against 007 with their deadliest plan yet....
Considered by many to the be the best James Bond 007 book of all time, From Russia With Love delivers the perfect formula for a James Bond novel. Originally, Ian Fleming's tales of 007 were not going so good, so he intended with this book to kill off James Bond once and for all. The end of this novel is quite a surprise to a first time reader.

The book begins by telling of the commanding rule of SMERSH. The leader of this organization is General Grubozaboyschikov. Also working is Colonel Rosa Klebb and director of planning Kronsteen, who treats real people as if they were chess pieces. The muscle of the group is a homicidal madman, who follows orders, and is in practically perfect physical shape, Donovan "Red" Grant. These evil minds have planned the perfect way to destroy the life and reputation of James Bond. Their plan is to lure 007 with the beatiful Tatiana Romanova and a Spektor cipher decoding machine as bait. Then Grant will meet up with them eventually and kill them both. However, SMERSH will take it a step further to lie to the public that Bond and Tatiana were in an affair, and that Bond commits suicide. It's a perfect plan.
Bond indeed does travel to Istanbul, believing that this girl wants to defect, and will give him the Spektor machine only if he personally helps her. 007 meets Darko Kerim, and a wonderful gypsy fight adds to the fun of the story. Bond and Tatiana travel on a train back to Europe, where he meets Red Grant and is told of the plan to kill him. An extremely bvrutal gun and fist fight breakes out between the men with 007 shooting Grant. 007 goes to Paris with Tatiana to catch Rosa Klebb in a meeting. However, Klebb releases a poison knife from her shoe and kicks 007 in the leg, before being taken away by the police. The story ends with 007 lying on the floor of the hotel room...

Perhaps the finest story of Ian Fleming, filled with the excitement and adventure to give this book it's reputation as on of the best 007 novels ever!


The Eagle and the Rose
Published in Audio Cassette by Time Warner Audio Books (June, 1996)
Author: Rosemary Altea
Average review score:

An Enlightening Spiritual Journey
The Eagle and The Rose takes us on one woman's adventures into her experiences with the "spirit" world. Whatever one's thoughts are in regards to life after death, this book will certainly get your mind pondering about the realm of possibilities that each of us will one day encounter.

Rosemary simply tells us what SHE has seen throughout her life. This book is not meant to sway one into believing that they too will be visited by a "ghost" or "lost soul". The purpose of this book, I believe, is to get in touch with one's own spirituality.

The Eagle and The Rose is an enlightening adventure for all of us to read. There are no right or wrong answers, but as individuals we have the power to change our lives and start on a new path towards spiritual healing. Read with an open mind and truely enjoy the journey that Rosemary shares with her readers.

A book that everyone needs to read,death affects us all.
I could not put this book down. The book is very easy to read and to understand. It makes you realize paths that are unknown to us in the living world. I lost my best friend, my husband, on July 12,1996 and felt that my world had crumpled before my very eyes. After reading this book I realized that he is still with me and watching over me. Maybe he will become my guide as Grey Eagle was for Rosemary Altea. I know that he is still on a journey but on a different level. She has helped me realize that life is a gift from God and that we all have a purpose.

A life-changing book!
After watching Rosemary Altea work on the Leeza Show on a couple of occasions, I became interested in her books. I read "Proud Spirit" first, and I couldn't put it down. I read "Eagle and the Rose" as soon as I finished "Proud Spirit" and was again riveted to it. After reading the books, I actually began searching for a spiritual church to learn more. This is pretty amazing, considering I was pretty much an agnostic prior to this. Although I still reserve some skepticism about spiritual churches, I truly believe Rosemary has a gift. Thanks for sharing it Rosemary.


Inside Passage: Living With Killer Whales, Bald Eagles, and Kwakiutl Indians
Published in Hardcover by Adventures Unlimited (01 May, 1997)
Author: Michael Modzelewski
Average review score:

INVIGORATING AND INSPIRATIONAL!
I'd like to start out with my favorite quote from Michael Modzelewski, "Sometimes you have to lower your standard of living to reach a higher level." I have sailed the inside passage via cruise ship 5 times and every time I read "INSIDE PASSAGE" brings back all the wonderful memories and magical moments I have experienced in this wild and untamed wilderness.
Michael lived with killer and humpback whales, bald eagles, Kwakiutl Indians on the surrounding Islands, Tuffy the cat, Cottonwood the ridgeback dog, and my favorite raven named Blackie! On page 59 is a hilarious story about Blackie!! Michael lived in Will Malloff's 12x34 ft. home with no t.v., indoor plumbing, electricity,no car or grocery store. No traffic jams,pollution or noise of any kind, and all you can eat fish in the sea was the trade off! You will learn what Michael needed to do to survive 18 months on Swanson Island.
This is one of those books you read over and over and underline everything. I'm going to close with another of Michael's quotes,
"I touched the whale; she touched me; and what passed between us changed me forever." Reading this book and meeting Michael changed me forever. This book inspired and motivated me to take some risks in life, to travel, and to dream big because dreams do come true,look at Michael's!

Spiritual Magic from a Magical Man.
Inside Passage is a book for the ages. An awe-inspiring piece of work that has left me both breathless and wanting more. Each image is created with such care and heart, the spirit of a "warrior" and the heart of a "man" shines through in each page. Inside Passage will leave an idelible mark on both the reader and the readers soul. A must read for anybody who has ever had a dream or a person seeking refuge in the majestic landscape of the Alaskan wilds. Modzleweski presents a totally-balanced account. Unlike many authors who've left the city for the wilds he doesn't "deify" Native Americans. He describes each Kwakiutl he meets as an individual with different life-styles, education-levels, and manners of speaking. Inside Passage brings out the raw and harsh natural laws man must live by in the wilderness, but intertwined within that plot is a story of unharnessed adventure and a life worth living. Having visited the Inside Passage the past two summers, I can say that the author brought the area totally alive! In the economical and passionate-style of a poet, Modzelewski goes far-beneath the surface of an awesome place. Most of all, he takes the reader on a spiritual VisionQuest-where as he describes it:"The Inside Passage is real dream country. Even on land you are moved. The tides that carry the great whales move the bulk of your thoughts just as effortlessly. On the islands, the surrounding sea enters your subconcious, creating a rippling mirror that reflects reality from many perspectives. There is no concrete to fix attitudes, harden dreams. The world around you constantly flows in many levels, swirling deep fathoms into you, loosening holdfasts and safeguards, stirring up sediment, provoking protean change." Reading this book changed my life. Now I see the world through un-biased eyes. Life is a challenge and a blessing, I accept it with passion and un-dying gratitude. Mr. Modzelewski has opened my eyes to a world I never knew existed, and for that I am forever en-debted to him. This book will change you; I guarantee it!

To visit Alaska, First read this great book!
After reading Inside Passage,I felt my soul was baptized by the beauty of Alaska and the author Michael Modzelewski was the minister who administered the baptismal ceremony for many poor polluted souls. My outlook of life has been changed since then. Every day and every minute I live is full of beauty and purity like Alaska's blue sky. I would like to live in inside Passage every summer!


Elvis A. Eagle : a magical adventure
Published in Unknown Binding by Scribe Press ()
Author: C.R. Sinclair
Average review score:

Friends and Friendship Dominate!
It took me weeks to get through the first 1/3 of the book but then it seemed to take me minutes to get through the rest of the book. If friendship, growth, and adventure are part of you then you will enjoy this book. "Theirs was a language of communion without words...." Eagles kick ass, Elvis kicks ass, Carl Sinclair kicks ass and this book kicks ass!

A truly epic novel
Mr. Sinclair writes a truly magnificent adventure where the reader becomes captivated in a wonderful world of reality/fantasy. If you've ever driven Hwy 101 North through the rainbow of the Waldo tunnel, and felt that subtle change as you left San Francisco and entered Marin, then you must read Elvis. If you're young, or old, if you're from the Bay Area, or if you're not, you must read Elvis. If you've ever wanted to know what it is like to fly, then you must read Elvis. If you feel that the spirit of The Man still exists, then you must read Elvis.

I read the book cover to cover within several hours, and I was sad it ended. Please, Mr. Sinclair, you must write a sequel. There's so many things I must know. This book has a different story for everyone that reads it -- it is truly a novel of epic proportions. It would be a wonderful film.

Brilliant! A masterpiece! Powerful and spiritual!
Elvis A. Eagle is a beautifully written, well researched, captivating adventure from beginning to end! After the second half, it's impossible to put this book down! I loved the characters, plot, relationships and symbolism to the deeper meaning of life. Everyone should have a Smart Swallow in his/her life. This book is what Disney movies are all about! C.R. Sinclair has written a masterpiece for all ages.


The Eagle Heist
Published in Paperback by McKenna Publishing Group (10 August, 2002)
Author: Raymond Austin
Average review score:

A Super Read
This Review lead me to Raymond Austin. (It is right it is.)

BOOKLIST AMERICAN LIBRARY ASSOCIATION Fans of the classic British television series The Avengers and The Saint may recognize the author',s name: as Ray Austin, he directed episodes-of-those serve; as well as many other British and American shows, This is his first novel, and it's ideally suited for the small screen. An armored car is hijacked, seemingly snatched out of thin air, and Virginia's Beauford Sloan, retired-cop-turned-private-detective, is hired to find out whodunit. Sloan, who closely resembles the actor Wilford Brimley, is a remarkably likable character. (The resemblance is no coincidence: Brimley and the author are friends, and Brimley has expressed his desire to play the detective in the anticipated television movie based on the novel. He has also written an introduction to the book.) In fact, everything about the novel is remarkably likable; perhaps because he spent decades in the world of moving pictures, Austin knows how to create detailed characters, dialogue that is both memorable and realistic, and an exciting plot. An excellent debut and a real find.

David Pitt

fast paced
A great summer read, fast paced, with characters that you care about. I liked Sloan so much, I want to see what else he does. A third book is coming out soon, can't wait! This would make a great movie!!

A Must Read!
I was totally captivated right from the start how the incredible "Eagle Heist" went down. You'll have to read to know what I mean! This book was fabulous! Right until the end I could not figure out who masterminded this incredible heist. Raymond Austin does an amazing job of creating a visual masterpiece in his first book. It must be made into a movie! I'm looking forward to the next in his series, "Dead Again."


Once An Eagle
Published in Paperback by Perennial Press (07 May, 2002)
Author: Anton Myrer
Average review score:

The book is a guide to military & non-military leadership.
I am a retired Army Guard and Reserve officer of twenty eight years. I was first introduced to the book, "Once An Eagle" while I was going through OCS and college. I was amazed at the detail of thoughts of the young Sam Damon and how much they paralleled my own thoughts. I could really identify with him. I tried throughout my military and civilian careers to model myself after the leadership examples of Sam Damon. I looked for and became very aware of the Massengale officers. Once you are aware of that type of "problem" you can combat it. Later I re-read the book when I was a company commander. Boy had Sam become smarter. It really helped my at that stage of my career.

This past weekend I saw a huge write-up in the Minneapolis Star and was suprised that the book had that big of a following. I am re-reading the book again, for the third time, and I find my self re-identifying with the characters. I recommend this book for all young NCOs and young officers to help them formulate a mentoring guide book, like a set of rules to work towards, that they can use in the daily experiences that will make up their careers. If you use the book to help focus your committment to leadership, you will have a great experience, a great career, and a love of adventure.

A book well worth reading
I first read this book as a high school student in the late 1960s. Vietnam was reaching it's peak and the Armed Forces was never out of the headlines. Since that time, I've taken it dwon from the shelf and re-read it. I have found it of value in my military career as a reference on leadership and personalities. I highly recommend it to anyone with an interest or need to know about positive and negative leadership traits. The lead charecter starts his military career in the desert and scrub of Mexico searching for Pancho Villa. Sam Damon is not in the branches that might have a little dash or adventure such as the cavalry or air service. He is a ground pounder in the infantry as a private who's biggest concern is learning water discipline. He moves on through ranks and gains a commission during World War I and manages to retain it following the war. The inter-war years and Damon's adjustment to both married life and military life on officers row is insightful. World War II is Damon's moment to shine; he does but not without personal costs both within his immediate family and his service family. His end is both moving and I felt, almost inevitable. This book is not a quick read, nor is it one that is good for only one time. It's value is from rereading it and learning something new each time. I highly recommend this book. My only criticism is that it is rather high priced; I wish the publisher could get it down to where more people would be able to purchase the hard bound edition and not the paperback.

Anton Myrer's "Once an Eagle" a must-read for leaders
You've had Total Quality Management. You've read Sun Tzu and Musashi on business as war. You've been to Outward Bound and you've undergone Team Building exercises until you're blue in the face. Now read the novel that has more to say about the qualities a real leader should have than any text written by a management guru--Anton Myrer's classic "Once an Eagle."

The book is a youth-to-death story of "Sad" Sam Damon, a midwestern boy who steeps himself in military history and a code of honor that requires him to step forward and take the lead in almost every situation. Myrer has tapped into a simple truth. That's what real leaders do; they lead.

While Sam Damon is a military hero, he's no marble monument. Myrer shows us that real world leaders are assailed with doubts, real fears, and insecurities that can lead them to cave in to expediency under extreme pressure. But in Sam Damon, Myrer shows us that true leadership can consist of recognizing your mistakes, swallowing hard, and stepping up to the plate again to do the right thing.

Such a strong protagonist clearly needs a strong opponent. Myrer delivers with Courtney Massengale, a supremely brilliant and ruthless adversary whose weakness, as Sam Damon realizes, is that he does not love any man. It is the byplay between these two characters that Myrer uses to telling effect in illustrating how love is a key element in leadership. I know of half a dozen executives who have patterned their management styles on Sam Damon's lessons. They are the best bosses I ever had. This is a book that should be required reading in our service academies, and as part of every MBA program and civil service exam in the country. Fortunately, it's also a wonderful read.


Currahee!: A Screaming Eagle at Normandy
Published in Mass Market Paperback by Dell Pub Co (12 September, 2000)
Authors: Donald R. Burgett and Stephen E. Ambrose
Average review score:

Excellent Account of the 101 in the Normany Campaign
Excellent read, however those not versed in the WWII military venacular (e.g. B.A.R., D.Z., O.P., etc.) may have problems following some aspects of the book. Those who have read other accounts of the Normandy campaign (or other millitary history of the european theater) will tear through this easy and enjoyable read. Burgett was a very hard man, who killed 27 germans in one fire fight, and scores of others during the war. He proclaims to not understand the need for his colleages to mourn the loss of a buddy when there were still more nazis to kill! This book is a perfect compliment to Band of Brothers, it details the same training and battles of the same regiment only A company instead of E company.

One of the Best ETO Memoirs....
Burgett's memoir was initially published in 1967. It came out when most books on World War II were about generals, or not even about the fighting. Burgett's book was a reminder that war is essentially about young men trying to kill other young men and the hell of it all. I purchased this book when Bantam reissued it under the title "As Eagles Screamed." I still have that copy and have read it several times.
All I can say is that if you're picking up this book for the first time, you're in for a treat. If you've already read it, well then you know how good it is. Burgett's books are a fine companion piece to Ambrose's "Band of Brothers." In some ways, it's even better because we see the whole war through the eyes of one man who survived it's most horrible moments.

Setting the Precedent for All Combat Memoirs!
The successful book and mini-series _Band of Brothers_ prompted a re-read of Donald R. Burgett's timeless classic: Currahee: A Screaming Eagle in Normandy (the subtitle was added to the reprint editions). First published in 1967, Burgett was ahead of his time in paving the way for a no holes barred narrative and chilling memoir. Some of the more recent World War II memoirs will attest that there are several pit-falls awaiting the well intentioned autobiographer. For example, a combat veteran's world was very small. He was rarely aware of events transpiring outside the realm of his squad or platoon. He oftentimes knew not where he was, nor was he aware of the grand strategy of which his unit was a small yet intricate part. All he knew was that he had to keep going on to victory, not so much for his country as a whole, but for his buddies who depended on him, as he relied on them for survival. Also, there is a tendency for the humorous memories to over-shadow the horrors of war in many recent accounts. The result is often a personal anecdotal approach. Although this style is significant to understanding the culture of the World War II veteran, it can also bore the reader quickly. Not so with Burgett's first effort. Burgett blends the anecdotal with the overall picture splendidly. He made a smart decision to have a military historian edit his manuscript and fill in the holes with facts Burgett could not possibly have known at the time. This collaboration is done with finesse, lending just enough factual military history to Burgett's personal experiences to make for a riveting read (This delicate ingredient will become more abundant in Burgett's subsequent installments). Burgett takes the reader from paratrooper training, overseas deployment, and eventual night drop into Normandy on the eve of the D-Day invasion. His attention to detail is remarkable. Every facet of training from the technical to the ironic is covered with crystal clear prose. If it were not for an injury suffered during Burgett's first qualifying jump, he would have crashed and burned with his original stick in an unfortunate training accident. Burgett's acclimation to combat appears to occur rapidly. He soon learns to think like an infantryman: is this ditch a safe place to spend the night, he wonders, or does the enemy have it zeroed-in? Burgett soon learned to trust no one outside his circle of squad buddies in the second squad, second platoon of A Company, 506th Parachute Infantry, 101st Airborne Division. He would make the grateful French citizens drink the wine and cider they happily offered their liberators first to insure it was not poisoned. Thinking three moves ahead in the game of survival became a way of life for Burgett. Burgett's re-telling of the sporadic fire fights among the hedgrows of Normandy are vital to a thorough understanding of the Airborne operations on D-Day. The reader may wonder whether the paratroopers preference for screaming frontal assaults directly into the mouths of German machine guns and deadly artillery is the result of elite combat training or youthful bravado (Burgett was only nineteen). Burgett makes no bones about his macabre desire to scalp the blond locks from a dead German soldier he felled with his M-1 Garrand. Only intense enemy machine gun fire prevented him from performing this gruesome deed. Burgett comments on the one topic no one likes to talk about: friendly fire. Burgett tells us that not only were his comrades killed by mishaps during Allied air and artillery support missions, but also short rounds fired from ships off-shore as well. Without a doubt, Burgett's tell-it-like-was memoir will become a timeless classic. All veterans contemplating preserving their experiences to paper should consult Burgett as a model.


Related Vacation Book Subjects: Pennsylvania
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